JAMES HOSSINGER
PAPERS

1790 - 1915

(bulk dates 1870 – 1906)

 

Manuscript Collection Number:  206

 

Accessioned:  Gift of James Thompson, 1975.

 

Extent:  1 linear ft. and oversize

 

Content:  Correspondence, legal documents, estate papers, receipts, bills, and a scrapbook.

 

Access:  The collection is open for research. 

 

Processed:  1990-1991 by Lori Bridgers; revised August 2003 by Theresa Hessey

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Table of Contents

• Biographical Note
  
• Scope and Contents Note
  
• Contents List
  

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Biographical Note

 

            James Hossinger was born in 1838 to Joseph and Anna Hossinger.  A resident of Newark, Delaware, Hossinger was a farmer for most of his life.  With John Elliot, he owned and operated  Elliot and Hossinger, an agricultural business dealing in sheep, cattle, and hogs.  He also took an active interest in public service, serving as a trustee on the board of Delaware College, treasurer for the Board of Trustees of the Academy of Newark, treasurer for the Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company, treasurer for Newark Real Estate Company, and president of the National Bank of Newark.  With his wife Ella, Hossinger had three children: Joseph H. Hossinger, Mrs. Cora Hossinger Thompson, and Miss Annie Hossinger.  James Hossinger died on December 3, 1906, at the age of 68.

 

Note:  Biographical information obtained from the collection.

 

Scope and Content Note

 

            The James Hossinger Papers consist of correspondence, legal documents, estate papers, receipts, and bills of this prominent resident of late nineteenth-century Newark, Delaware.  Hossinger was either a signatory or a witness for the majority of legal documents included in the collection.  The earliest document in the collection is a 1790 indenture between John Stockton and David Clark for a parcel of land located in White Clay Creek Hundred.  The estates represented in the collection were either held in trust by Hossinger or ones in which he acted as executor, including the estate of his father Joseph.  Other prominent Newark businessmen and residents represented in the papers include John Choate, William Dean, Frederick Curtis, Samuel Donnell, and Samuel Wilson.  The collection also contains receipts, bills, and other papers for the Academy of Newark, Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company, Elliott and Hossinger, Newark Real Estate Company, Hires Milk Company, and personal and household receipts.  Also included in the collection is a scrapbook containing news clippings, published poems, obituaries, and wedding announcements.

 

Related Collections:

Ms 96 item 66  Samuel M. Donnell insurance records of Newark, Delaware

 

Ms 271  George Gillespie Evans Papers

 

Ms 377  Wilbur T. Wilson map collection

 

Ms 388  Alexander Wilson papers

 

Contents List

Folder -- Contents

F1        Academy of Newark, 1884-1887

            Receipts and bills

 

F2        Academy of Newark, 1888-1889

Receipts for construction and maintenance materials.  Also includes a receipt for interest paid from an insurance policy issued by the New Castle County Mutual Insurance Company, signed by Samuel M. Donnell

 

F3        Academy of Newark, 1890-1891

            Receipts for construction and maintenance materials

 

F4        Academy of Newark, 1892-1893

            Receipts

 

F5        Academy of Newark, 1894-1895

Receipts as well as a report to the Board of Trustees of the Academy by Principal James Dickson Shanks

 

F6        Academy of Newark, 1896-1897

Receipts, a cancelled check, and a report to the Board of Trustees of the Academy by Principal J. David Jaquette

 

F7        Academy of Newark, 1898-1899

Receipts and a report to the Board of Trustees of the Academy by Principal J. David Jaquette

 

F8        Academy of Newark, 1900-1902

            Receipts and cancelled checks, including one made out to Samuel M. Donnell

 

F9        Academy of Newark, 1903-1905

Receipts, cancelled checks, and an estimate for the painting of the Academy building roof

 

F10      Academy of Newark, 1906-n.d.

Receipts and cancelled checks related to the operation and maintenance of the school building

 

F11      Account book, 1876-1890, [n.d.]

Bound, multipurpose account book including headings for “Acct. of A.J. Hossinger,” “Acct. with A.J. Hossinger,” “Acct. with Hossinger & Howell,” “Amt. of corn sold,” “cattle,” “Thomas Ryley,” and other assorted accounts.  Accounts of individuals are recorded in the back of the book

F12      Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Co., 1889, 1898, [n.d.]

Receipts and cancelled checks related to the acquisition of equipment and materials.  Also includes a receipt from Strawbridge & Clothier, a copy of the Constitution and By-Laws of the fire company belonging to George Henry, and an undated, printed list of Charter Members of Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company that included the names of such prominent Newark citizens as Samuel M. Donnell, George G. Evans, and Wilber T. Wilson, in addition to James Hossinger and his father Joseph

 

F13      Dean, William, estate, 1887-1895

Legal documents establishing James Hossinger as holding monies paid by William Dean’s life insurance policies in trust for Dean’s wife, Harriet, receipts for monies distributed to Harriet Dean by Hossinger, a deed for land purchased from Harriet Dean by Joseph Hossinger, and a deed for another parcel of land purchased from Harriet Dean by Joseph H. Hossinger, James Roberts, Anna Hossinger, Daniel Slack, and Elizabeth Mullin

 

F14      Dean, William, estate, 1895-1900

Notarized releases acknowledging receipt of payment from James Hossinger for the purchase of land from Joseph H. Hossinger, James Roberts, Anna Hossinger, Daniel Slack, and Elizabeth Mullin.  Also includes a receipt for payment to Harriet Dean and an agreement for the lease of land from Harriet Dean to Burton Messick

 

F15      Delaware College, 1900-1901, [n.d.]

Letters of reference concerning the hiring of a Horticulture professor, C.P. Close, as well as other materials related to horticulture

 

F16      Elliot & Hossinger, 1889-1899

Stock contract, legal protests, letter requesting payment, and receipts, including those for the shipment of cattle, sheep, and hogs

 

F17      Elliot & Hossinger, 1900-1903, [n.d.]

Receipts, legal protests, receipts and statements for shipments of wood, bond for John Hopkins, correspondence, account of Mr. Thomas Short on letterhead of Hossinger & Hartzler, manufacturers of hardwood lumber

 

F18      Elliot & Hossinger, Cancelled Checks, 1874-1899

 

F19      Elliot & Hossinger, Cancelled Checks, 1900-1903

 

F20      Hires Milk Company, 1900-1903

            Later the Hires Condensed Milk Company.  Receipts for milk delivery

 

F21      Hires Milk Company, 1904-[n.d.]

            Later the Hires Condensed Milk Company.  Receipts for milk delivery

F22      Hossinger, Joseph, Estate papers, 1870-1876

            Assorted receipts for payments of debts, invoices, copy of will

 

F23      Hossinger, Joseph, Estate papers, 1876-1877

            Receipts for payments of debts and accounting of debts paid

 

F24      Hossinger, Joseph, Estate papers, 1877-1878

            Receipts for payments of debts and accounting of debts paid

 

F25      Hossinger, Joseph, Estate papers, 1878-1880

            Receipts for payments of debts and accounting of debts paid

 

F26      Kennedy, Jane, Estate papers, 1875-1876

            Receipts for payments of debts and accounting of debts paid

 

F27      Legal Documents, 1859-1918, [n.d.]

Loans, mortgages, settlements of accounts for which Hossinger was a guardian for minors, copy of the will of Joseph H. Hossinger, James’ brother, resolution of Hiram Lodge of Newark honoring Andrew J. Hossinger, James’ brother, and maps of plots of land

 

F28      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1790-1846

Indenture between David Clark and John Stockton, one between Hosea J. Riddell and Marshall Yeatman, and one between Allen Robinett and Hosea J. Riddell for land adjacent to that belonging to Peter Hossinger

           

F29      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1849

Indenture between Hosea J. Riddell and James H. Ray for land adjacent to that belonging to James Hossinger as well as a mortgage between the two

 

F30      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1856

            Deed between Victor duPont, Trustee and Alexander Lowber, M.D.

 

F31      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1865

Deeds between James Nicholson and Godfrey Harkenstein, Godfrey Harkenstein and William Jones, and William Jones and Christina Harkenstein

 

F32      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1873-1874

Abstract of title, deed between Godfrey Harkenstein and Susan Longenecker, correspondence from George Gray to John S. Hoffman (?) and to Samuel M. Donnell, receipts, and Articles of Agreement between Samuel M. Donnell and Frank Griffith

F33      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1874-1879

Deed between David Longenecker and Samuel M. Donnell and Frank Griffith, an insurance policy for Donnell and Griffith and receipt for deposit on the policy with Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Deed of Quit Claim by William D. Herdman, Benjamin Herdman, and Eliza H. Livingston to John W. Choate of Newark Hotel property, and Release from Lien of Mortgage of John W. Choate to John J. Stark

 

F34      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1883-1884

Assignment of Mortgage, George W. Williams to George W. Coyle, bond between William McCaulley and Lindley C. Kent, mortgage of Delaware Clark to Frederick W. Curtis, mortgage of Alfred A. Curtis, Frederick W. Curtis, and Charles M. Curtis to Delaware Clark, mortgage between William McCaulley to Lindley C. Kent, and mortgage between Lindley C. Kent and Frederick A. Curtis

 

F35      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1886-1893

Deed from Elizabeth M. Ray and Joseph H. Caleb and wife to Samuel M. Donnell, deed from Adaline W. Lowbar to James Hossinger, and deed from George W. Williams to Joseph H. Hossinger

 

F36      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1901-1903

Article of Agreement between Mary M. Pie and George M. Clark, indenture of Ezekiel W. Dawson and Hannah Maria Dawson to James Hossinger, and Article of Agreement between M. Helen Mackie and Samuel M. Donnell

 

F37      Miscellaneous Legal Documents, 1915

Mortgage between James A. McKelvey and the Newark Trust and Safe Deposit Company for a parcel of land on the north side of Main Street, Newark, mortgage between James A. McKelvey and the Hartmann and Fehrenbach Brewing Company, mortgage between James A. McKelvey and Ella P. Simpler, and mortgage between James A. McKelvey and Samuel M. Donnell

 

F38      Mutual Fire Insurance Company, 1894-1898

Copy of insurance policy purchased by the National Bank of Newark, monthly postcard accounts of insurance records and a listing of accounts

 

F39      Mutual Fire Insurance Company, 1904

            Rate slips for various individuals and businesses

 

F40      Newark Real Estate Company, 1894-1895

            Receipts and stock certificate

 

F41      Newark Real Estate Company, 1896-1897

Receipts, stock certificate, lease between the real estate company and Joseph Dean, county tax receipt, and school tax receipt

F42      Newark Real Estate Company, 1898-1899

            Receipts for materials

 

F43      Newark Real Estate Company, 1900-1901

            Receipts for materials

 

F44      Newark Real Estate Company, 1902-1904

            Receipts for materials

 

F45      Newark Real Estate Company, 1905

            Receipts and cancelled checks

 

F46      Newark Real Estate Company, 1906-1907, [n.d.]

            Receipts, cancelled checks, stock certificate, and account of stockholders

 

F47      Receipts, 1870-1884

            Receipts for state, county, and other taxes, materials, and payments of debts

 

F48      Receipts, 1885-1886

            Receipts for state, county, and other taxes, materials, and payments of debts

 

F49      Receipts, 1887-1899

            Receipts for state, county, and other taxes, materials, and payments of debts

 

F50      Receipts, 1900-1901

            Receipts for materials and payments of debt

 

F51      Receipts, 1902-1903

            Receipts for state, county, and other taxes, materials, and payments of debts

 

F52      Receipts, 1904-1905

Receipts for state, county, and other taxes, materials, and payments of debts.  Includes a receipt from Anna Hossinger, James’ mother, acknowledging payment of mortgage interest by James Hossinger

 

F53      Receipts, 1906-1907, [n.d.]

Receipts for state, county, and other taxes, materials, payments of debts, account list of individuals who bought cows, and miscellaneous account list

 

F54      Scrapbook

Consists of news clippings, clippings related to the Spanish American War, published poems, obituaries, wedding announcements, and an editorial published by Joseph H. Hossinger

F55      Wallace, Ellen, Estate papers, 1882-1883

Receipts for payments of debts, paid by James Hossinger, administrator for the estate and copy of final settlement of estate

 

F56      Whitcraft, Washington P., 1868-1874

Legal document establishing James Hossinger as guardian of Washington P. Whitcraft, cancelled check, receipt, final accounting of guardianship of Whitcraft, and acknowledgement of termination of guardianship

 

F57      Wilson, Samuel Y., Estate papers, 1875-1881

Life insurance policy, deed between William H. Lambson and Samuel Y. Wilson, inventory list, appraisers certificate, and letter of administration for the estate

 

F58      Wilson, Samuel Y., Estate papers, 1882-1887, [n.d.]

            Receipts, first settlement of estate, and final settlement of estate

 

F59      Wrench, Nathan, Estate, 1877-1878

Release of Joseph Wright to James Hossinger.  Joseph Hossinger was executor for the estate of Nathan Wrench, the uncle of Joseph Wright.  James Hossinger was the executor of his father’s estate.  Release of Charles H. Ellsbury to James Hossinger as executor of the estate of Joseph Hossinger